1) I am unable to figure out what is happening wrt Dareus and Mario. Dareus, despite his stats, was a key player in our victory over Arizona. I know what I was seeing. He was out-muscling his opponent, and played a key role in the safety. Last week he was sub-pedestrian. Why? Mario too was on fire vs. the Cards. How can you go from THAT good to THAT bad? I am not shy about offering opinions, but I can't figure this out.

2) Spiller deserves heaps of praise. Last week he made yards on his own. blocked pass rushers, and held the ball. This in addition to doing what he was drafted to do.

3) This OL is probably the best, and definitely the deepest in the history of the franchise. They have at least 7, and perhaps 8 men who can play. It is a pleasure to see them perform so well.

4) Wanny is the worst DC that I have ever had the displeasure to watch. Kyle Williams in coverage? Wanny is absolutely killing this team.

5) Nothing new to say about Fitz. He is just too limited and inconsistent. That said, I wish he would run it himself more often.

6) The wildcat does NOT suck. It provides us with first downs, and puts the football in the hands of Smith.

7) Props to McKelvin. He is actually thrilling to watch on returns.

8) I hope that Gilmore starts making plays. He has the tools, but a game changing play isn't much to ask from a kid who was drafted as high as he was.

9) Pay attention if you will to AJ McCarron tonight if you get a chance. He is starting to remind me of Fitz, but with less mistakes and a somewhat better, and more accurate arm.

10) The worst thing about this season imo is the dejection of the fanbase, not that I blame anyone or am exempt. If we could have just held on last week, a freak win over Houston or NE would have kept us in the picture. It's a longshot for sure, but I am holding out against hope for a win vs. the Texans.

Gilmore hasn't made any highlight plays, but he is pretty solid. Right before the ball is snapped I look to see which DB is covering which WR, etc. It's getting to the point that I look at who Gilmore is lined up against and I think to myself "that receiver is covered, what about the others?"

9) Pay attention if you will to AJ McCarron tonight if you get a chance. He is starting to remind me of Fitz, but with less mistakes and a somewhat better, and more accurate arm.

He looks good to me on paper, never seen him play though. I'm fairly sure that there's going to be QBs coming out of the woodwork (QBs beyond the usual suspects - Geno, Barkley, Jones) come draft time that will be going in Rd 1 and 2. It's too early for the draft hype we witness come the combine.

1) I am unable to figure out what is happening wrt Dareus and Mario. Dareus, despite his stats, was a key player in our victory over Arizona. I know what I was seeing. He was out-muscling his opponent, and played a key role in the safety. Last week he was sub-pedestrian. Why? Mario too was on fire vs. the Cards. How can you go from THAT good to THAT bad? I am not shy about offering opinions, but I can't figure this out.

2) Spiller deserves heaps of praise. Last week he made yards on his own. blocked pass rushers, and held the ball. This in addition to doing what he was drafted to do.

3) This OL is probably the best, and definitely the deepest in the history of the franchise. They have at least 7, and perhaps 8 men who can play. It is a pleasure to see them perform so well.

4) Wanny is the worst DC that I have ever had the displeasure to watch. Kyle Williams in coverage? Wanny is absolutely killing this team.

5) Nothing new to say about Fitz. He is just too limited and inconsistent. That said, I wish he would run it himself more often.

6) The wildcat does NOT suck. It provides us with first downs, and puts the football in the hands of Smith.

7) Props to McKelvin. He is actually thrilling to watch on returns.

8) I hope that Gilmore starts making plays. He has the tools, but a game changing play isn't much to ask from a kid who was drafted as high as he was.

9) Pay attention if you will to AJ McCarron tonight if you get a chance. He is starting to remind me of Fitz, but with less mistakes and a somewhat better, and more accurate arm.

10) The worst thing about this season imo is the dejection of the fanbase, not that I blame anyone or am exempt. If we could have just held on last week, a freak win over Houston or NE would have kept us in the picture. It's a longshot for sure, but I am holding out against hope for a win vs. the Texans.

1) I am unable to figure out what is happening wrt Dareus and Mario. Dareus, despite his stats, was a key player in our victory over Arizona. I know what I was seeing. He was out-muscling his opponent, and played a key role in the safety. Last week he was sub-pedestrian. Why? Mario too was on fire vs. the Cards. How can you go from THAT good to THAT bad? I am not shy about offering opinions, but I can't figure this out.

The obvious answer is that it's due to the quality of the opponent. Arizona's OL was much worse than Tennessee's.

4) Wanny is the worst DC that I have ever had the displeasure to watch. Kyle Williams in coverage? Wanny is absolutely killing this team.

I like that Wanny is the new scape goat now, replacing George Edwards. Maybe after the third DC crashes and burns someone will take a long hard look at Nix and the defensive personnel, which are very bad. Probably not though.

I like that Wanny is the new scape goat now, replacing George Edwards. Maybe after the third DC crashes and burns someone will take a long hard look at Nix and the defensive personnel, which are very bad. Probably not though.

I don't know.... These defense has more talent than last year yet it is playing worse. I think that is more coaching than talent

I don't know.... These defense has more talent than last year yet it is playing worse. I think that is more coaching than talent

We have more talent on D line and at one CB. Our biggest weakness last year, LB, is actually worse this season. And G Wilson was never that good to begin with. I won't defend Wanny since he's made some boneheaded decisions as Bill mentioned above about K Williams dropping into coverage. But he is severely scheme limited with the personnel he has at LB and the secondary in Wilson and A Williams.

I think the Kent Hull lines were better. I like this group, and think they have the potential to draw comparisons to, or even surpass, their early 90's counterparts; but I need to see more longevity, more consistency, and more durability first.

I think the Kent Hull lines were better. I like this group, and think they have the potential to draw comparisons to, or even surpass, their early 90's counterparts; but I need to see more longevity, more consistency, and more durability first.

It is also a bit troubling that they seem to be at their worst later in games when it is crunch time.

It is also a bit troubling that they seem to be at their worst later in games when it is crunch time.

This has been true since Urbik and Glenn went down. Up to that point, the line had the depth to rotate in players that were also able to wear down the oppositions D-line. The past two games, this has not been the case.

Fitz, our new check-down champ, gets the ball out of his hands quickly and this helps the O-line look stronger than it may actually be at times. Fina, Ritcher, Hull, Ballard and Davis were a very, very good O-line and the possibility exists for the current group to surpass their level. The advantage of the 90's team will always be the guy they were protecting. He was just a tad better than Fitz...

I like that Wanny is the new scape goat now, replacing George Edwards. Maybe after the third DC crashes and burns someone will take a long hard look at Nix and the defensive personnel, which are very bad. Probably not though.

Agreed. Nix is overseeing this mess and needs to be held responsible for what's happening. He's spent a lot of resources on the defensive side of the ball and they're still not getting the job done. So while people talk about firing coaches or replacing players, this is a problem that leads directly to the GM and the plan he's implemented.

Agreed. Nix is overseeing this mess and needs to be held responsible for what's happening. He's spent a lot of resources on the defensive side of the ball and they're still not getting the job done. So while people talk about firing coaches or replacing players, this is a problem that leads directly to the GM and the plan he's implemented.

So the fact that everyone on the Dline has succeeded in at least some capacity in the past and some of them on a very high level, means nothing? I am sure Nix picked these guys up, off of that history more than you are giving him credit for. There doesn't seem to a problem with coaching or players (and maybe their attitude about the coaching)? What happened to putting players in position to succeed? Wanny seems to think square pegs fit in round holes, if he says so. Your and Vince's thoughts were predictable like Chan's lining up 5 wide, empty backfield on 3 and 2 in the 4th quarter with a 6 point lead and both our RBs averaging 7ypc.

Bill you are getting soft, I have liked your posts 2 weeks in a row (seeing Spiller for what he has become, is a good thing)

The obvious answer is that it's due to the quality of the opponent. Arizona's OL was much worse than Tennessee's.

I like that Wanny is the new scape goat now, replacing George Edwards. Maybe after the third DC crashes and burns someone will take a long hard look at Nix and the defensive personnel, which are very bad. Probably not though.

Do you not watch the defensive alignments? It's the same play over and over. You could call an offensive gameplan against wannstedts play calling. So could Stevie wonder. He's that bad. Do you think he's a good DC vincec?

He looks good to me on paper, never seen him play though. I'm fairly sure that there's going to be QBs coming out of the woodwork (QBs beyond the usual suspects - Geno, Barkley, Jones) come draft time that will be going in Rd 1 and 2. It's too early for the draft hype we witness come the combine.

Jones did himself no favors tonight. There were some drops, always are, but he does not take control of a game. I do not think that he'll have a successful NFL career. I realize that he's a product of and limited by the system that he plays in but he does not dominate a football game.

Agreed. Nix is overseeing this mess and needs to be held responsible for what's happening. He's spent a lot of resources on the defensive side of the ball and they're still not getting the job done. So while people talk about firing coaches or replacing players, this is a problem that leads directly to the GM and the plan he's implemented.

This is what happens when you hire sub par people, and that is what this franchise has done for over a decade. Its so difficult for me to understand why fans buy* into an inferior product year after year, but they do.

So the fact that everyone on the Dline has succeeded in at least some capacity in the past and some of them on a very high level, means nothing? I am sure Nix picked these guys up, off of that history more than you are giving him credit for. There doesn't seem to a problem with coaching or players (and maybe their attitude about the coaching)? What happened to putting players in position to succeed? Wanny seems to think square pegs fit in round holes, if he says so. Your and Vince's thoughts were predictable like Chan's lining up 5 wide, empty backfield on 3 and 2 in the 4th quarter with a 6 point lead and both our RBs averaging 7ypc.

Bill you are getting soft, I have liked your posts 2 weeks in a row (seeing Spiller for what he has become, is a good thing)

Are the players on defense better than when Nix took over three years ago? Yes or No? Go position by position and tell me. I count worse players at the majority of positions- and that defense was mediocre at best. That's Nix's problem.

I watch other games on Sunday and I see players beating man to man blocking, beating chip blocks and even occasionally beating double teams. Is see DBs make plays in one v one coverage. I see LBs cover TEs. People on this board seem to think that if Wannstedt can't draw up a defense to have unblocked guys on every play then it's a problem with the scheme.